Not agreeing with Susan at all, he didn’t want Cherish to spread her wings and leave. If she wanted to, that was fine, but he hoped and wanted her to stay with him. About to speak up, he laughed out of social necessity and brought the tension in the conversation down, “Aha, well not exactly. At home I’m relaxed. At least I think I am…” He looked over to Cherish as though asking for her to back him, “…I mean things at home have been pretty good, Susan. Cherish can take all the time she needs. I’m not rushing her.” He said.
Susan laughed lightly to herself as she playfully rolled her eyes and looked at Simon with an incredulous expression, “Oh come now. You can’t really hold this woman back from being the best she has to offer. If you keep taking care of her, she’ll never want to do anything for herself. Right, Cherish?” she asked. Her gaze flicked in her direction while her ruby red lips stayed stretched in a maw-like grin.
Cherish swallowed tightly. Each point Susan said drove home. Everyone else was too nice to their faces, but now she wondered how people really felt about her staying with Simon so long. Sure, she and he had an unsaid agreement to be together in the end, but would a little independence be so bad? Her gaze cascaded over Susan’s elegant form and in a moment, she felt miniscule. Instead of answering, her gaze lowered before she rubbed her mouth with a napkin, “He’s great at home…”
The corner of Susan’s eyebrow twitched while she glanced between them, “Oh, well of course he would be. I was just having a little joke. There’s no way Simon isn’t more than generous with his…hospitality.” She stated.
The silence between the three of them was awkward now. Still, Susan stood there and smiled. She then inhaled a deep breath before rolling her shoulders, “Well, I’m going to leave you to it. My party has already been seated. Simon, I’m going to have a house warming party soon and I’m going to invite some people from the office. Employees only!” She said with a giggle.
There was a certain relief Simon felt and he hoped the tension would follow her. Raising his hand to wave, Susan stroked his shoulder much to Cherish’s chagrin before she snapped, “Oh I meant to ask you, really quick, about the Elliot project…”
He believed her.
Susan went into details and questions for Simon and took his attention. She laughed with him and joked about things around the office. Cherish glanced between them and, for the first time in a long time, she felt on the outside. After three excruciating minutes, Susan finally shook her hands. Her cheeks were pink from laughing as she blew out, “Sorry, I’m so sorry, Cherish. I didn’t mean to interrupt your meal. I’ll see you Monday, Simon.” She stated before waving with a beautiful, unfaltering smile.
Cherish blinked quietly to herself and stared at the table. Clearing her throat, she noticed Susan didn’t even bother to speak to her again and sighed. Instead of bringing up her feelings, she already knew Simon would mildly cover for her ignorance, so she left it alone. Looking at him, she cleared her throat and rubbed a thumb across her cheek, “Ready to go?” she asked.
The atmosphere between them and within her shifted dramatically which told Simon there wasn’t a chance to return. He wanted to apologize but didn’t know how. The look on Cherish’s face caused him to sink inside. He’d planned to share dessert, but thought better of it now, “Yeah, if you are.” He answered. Waving down the waitress, he got the bill. He knew better than to ask her in the middle of the restaurant, so he waited until they were outside.
As they sat, waited, and walked back to the car in silence, Cherish had enough time to reflect on everything Susan said. Unfortunately, she was right. Here was this powerful, beautiful woman. Everyone respected her when she walked in the room and she took life by the balls and made it her own. Cherish, depended on other people. Susan was rolling in her career with her options laid out for whatever she wanted. Cherish cleaned toilets for people, like Susan, to sit their asses on and relieve themselves. Susan just bought her second condo with the revenue she made off the first one and Cherish was knocked up at eighteen. The fact was, Cherish had no idea what it was like to be alone; truly free.
Although she was quite happy and content where she was, Susan messed with her mind horrifically. The way she and Simon were able to go back and forth over their own projects baffled her. She hardly understood what they were talking about and Susan rattled off like a seasoned pro. She knew where she wanted to be with Simon in five years, and he was assured on it too. Now, she wondered what others thought about her staying in Simon’s house and if she had what it took to be…independent. Even if only temporarily.
The moon lit up the beach, but the mood was different than before. Inevitably, Simon felt a
